Royalist or Parliamentarian, Roundhead or Cavalier, the English civil war figures as one of the bloodiest periods of British history, and across the 9 years and 12 days of the conflict, it brought death and destruction to almost every corner of the British Isles. Fought between 22nd August 1642 and 3rd September 1651, it saw the deaths of nearly 90,000 combatants and an additional 127,000 deaths among non-combatants, of whom it is estimated that over 40,000 were civilians.
With so much bloodshed in such a short period of time, it is no wonder that the English civil war figures so prominently in history and English culture. The English civil war was not just a tussle over the control over the country, but led to the fundamental change of the constitution, the monarchy and even what it means to be English. Civil war is never pretty, as kinsman and neighbours are pitched against one another in bloody war. Because of the unique position the English civil war represents for the whole of the British Isles, it is no surprise that collectors, historians and diorama enthusiasts find great satisfaction in collecting English civil war figures. Edmonton to Edinburgh, there are hundreds of private collections of English civil war figures. Why do English civil war figures, Edmonton or elsewhere, hold such appeal to collectors?
English Civil War Figures
Edmonton played its own role in the English civil war. At one time or another it was owned and managed by various figures in the English civil war, being from time to time owned by the crown, managed by Thomas Cromwell who was appointed its steward in 1537 and then later being part of the settlement granted to Queen Henrietta. Edmonton, like other places in the country, saw its inhabitants split between loyalty to the crown and the desire for parliamentary representation.
The English civil war is probably the most notable example of the battlefield tactic that is now known as ‘pike and shot’ infantry. Many of the veterans and officers who became embroiled in the civil war had trained and fought in war between the Spanish and Dutch on the continent, and the English civil war saw them bring back mass combat styles developed there. Pike and shot infantry developed along with the increasingly popular use of matchlock muskets. Although hugely inaccurate, these guns became increasingly dangerous when used en-masse. Large, packed groups of unarmoured men equipped with these cumbersome hand-cannons were effective at range but were vulnerable to cavalry. By combining mixed units of musketeers with pikemen armed with twelve-to-eighteen-foot spears, the battlefield saw an increasingly versatile and hard to fight combat unit.
Because of these iconic tactics and striking uniforms, English civil war figures are interesting to collect. Along with infantry English civil war figures, Edmonton collectors will also find early artillery units, cavalry and well researched vignettes at Alexanders Toy Soldiers, the provider of the best English civil war figures Edmonton has to offer. Search ‘English Civil War Figures, Edmonton’ today for details.